Flag of Namibia

The Namibia flag is less than half of a century old, but that has been more than enough time for it to accumulate a history of its own. The details of the flag's history are subject to some dispute, but everyone can agree that the end result was a flag that was fit to represent the people of Namibia.

Capital of Namibia: Windhoek

Area of Namibia: 825,418 sq. km

Languages used in Namibia: English (official), Afrikaans, German, indigenous languages including Oshiwambo, Herero, and Nama

Religions in Namibia: Christian, indigenous beliefs

Colors and Symbolism of Namibia Flags

Namibia flags have an unusually complex design. They are divided in half by a red diagonal stripe with a white border. The section above the stripe is dark blue and displays a golden sun in the flag's canton. The section that falls below the line is solid green and does not display any emblems.

The colors of the Namibia flag are derived from those of its leading political parties, but they have acquired symbolic meanings of their own. The blue portion of the field represents the Atlantic Ocean, the sky, and the rain that nurtures the nation's plants. The green section of the field is a symbol of those plants. The red band represents the people of Namibia and the blood that they spilled during their war of independence. The white border around the stripe is intended to represent peace. The sun in the canton is a symbol of both life and hope for the future.

History of Namibia Flags

Several Namibia flags were used while the country was a European colony, but few of them represented the nation exclusively. The flag of Germany represented it while it was part of the German Empire. That period began in 1884 and ended in 1915, when it became part of the British Union of South Africa and adopted a colonial flag following the usual British pattern. That flag was followed by one that represented the nation's ties to South Africa in accordance with a United Nations Trusteeship from 1960 to 1990.

The modern flag was adopted in 1990, but sources disagree as to the design process. Some attribute the design to Frederick Brownell, the state herald of South Africa. A man named Roy Allen also claims that he created the design, but he claims that it was part of a contest. Regardless of the flag's designer, the current flag of Namibia proved to be popular and it has not changed since it was first adopted.